GRE Physics of 27th September
Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2014 10:59 am
To those who wrote today's GRE Physics, what do you think of difficulty of the test in comparison to the practice tests? Any weird topics tested?
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Who knows... I hope this isn't a repeat of the April one (although I did not write this test today) because there were similar comments back in April.dak213 wrote:I thought it was much easier than the practice exams I was taking. The questions seem much more straight-forward and I was feeling pretty good after leaving the exam initially.
But then I started thinking about what my score would be if everyone else felt the same way. What if I get an awesome score but end up in a low percentile because everyone else did just as well/better.
Heh, I was thinking about retaking it October, but I don't think I'm going to. I've had to sacrifice my entire last month (more) just to study for this darn test - I even took a week off from work for this - and there were still a few topics that I didn't have time to go through. I'm now thinking that even a 100 point improvement in my score would not be worth an extra month of all this pain. I can probably better use this time researching schools, writing my essays, finishing up research at work, and even just hanging out with people sometimes.dak213 wrote:Well dang here I was thinking I did pretty well and I left quite a few of them unanswered. I got through all of the problems and was able to go back and answer a some but I left more than 5 blank for sure. I didn't have time to think about them much more.
I am taking it again in October so I'll make sure to do better but I've gone through these forums and see tons of people disappointed with an 850 and 90th percentile. I don't know if it only looks like that because people who scored lower don't want to post it, but I'll be happy with 50th percentile. It does stress me out though, seeing everyone in the high percent range express such disappointment in themselves.
wompwomp wrote:Heh, I was thinking about retaking it October, but I don't think I'm going to. I've had to sacrifice my entire last month (more) just to study for this darn test - I even took a week off from work for this - and there were still a few topics that I didn't have time to go through. I'm now thinking that even a 100 point improvement in my score would not be worth an extra month of all this pain. I can probably better use this time researching schools, writing my essays, finishing up research at work, and even just hanging out with people sometimes.dak213 wrote:Well dang here I was thinking I did pretty well and I left quite a few of them unanswered. I got through all of the problems and was able to go back and answer a some but I left more than 5 blank for sure. I didn't have time to think about them much more.
I am taking it again in October so I'll make sure to do better but I've gone through these forums and see tons of people disappointed with an 850 and 90th percentile. I don't know if it only looks like that because people who scored lower don't want to post it, but I'll be happy with 50th percentile. It does stress me out though, seeing everyone in the high percent range express such disappointment in themselves.
Decisions, decisions.
I graduated two years ago, and that makes it worse! I remember *nothing* from my undergrad years - so I've had to come back home from work, then study for a few hours every day. Very exhausting.dak213 wrote: Ah yes, that is something to take into account. Luckily I've already graduated and am taking a year off to look at different schools and do a little more research, so I have a lot more time to study. Last year, I was stuck between a couple of phd programs and waited until I finally decided on what I wanted to do.
wompwomp wrote:I graduated two years ago, and that makes it worse! I remember *nothing* from my undergrad years - so I've had to come back home from work, then study for a few hours every day. Very exhausting.dak213 wrote: Ah yes, that is something to take into account. Luckily I've already graduated and am taking a year off to look at different schools and do a little more research, so I have a lot more time to study. Last year, I was stuck between a couple of phd programs and waited until I finally decided on what I wanted to do.
The first half was easier, but more computation heavy/time intensive? I got through them, but it took way too much time. The second half had more conceptual questions, but also some harder questions.djh101 wrote:It got progressively harder, I think, as the test went on. Will mentioning specific questions (even if only vague descriptions) violate ETS terms and conditions?
There were a few that caught me off guard, I think I left 5 blank. At least two I sort of had to guess for the minus sign. The classical mechanics (i.e. first quarter physics) and [deleted] ones always seem to get me. And anything with a [deleted].
The ETS practice test posted online has a place where they ask test takers to write out and sign an agreement that includes, "I also agree not to disclose the contents of the test I am taking today to anyone."djh101 wrote:Will mentioning specific questions (even if only vague descriptions) violate ETS terms and conditions?
Alright, sorry about that.I would likely remove a vague reference to a "Lagrangian" question or a reference to a problem with "three monkeys throwing a ball".
I would say the first half went a lot quicker (the beginning had me thinking it was going to be a quick and easy test). Of course, I think different countries get different tests, to account for timezone differences (not sure about different locations or closely spaced timezones- that would require lots of time by ETS taken to write the tests).The first half was easier, but more computation heavy/time intensive?
aaa2 wrote:My god that everyone else also thinks that this was ultra easy worries me to great extremes. I thought it was easy also (answered like 97) but knowing me I probably made dozens of stupid mistakes(likely well in the 30s range even i would have known the right answer). I really hoped for a hard test so difficulty can make up for my careless thought process and people would get taken below me by hard questions increasing my chances. I don't want to do another Physics GRE, travelling by train booking a hotel during the October festival was too stressing and expensive. Somehow it makes me think I shouldn't even try to apply for a PhD position especially since unless you get into a good program you can essentially shoot yourself(which i won't since I am a Muslim, so that people do not get the wrong idea any kind of suicide and stuff is forbidden in Islam just as killings of any kind are) as you won't be able to achieve anything besides get a dull job working for some company which you probably also can without a PhD.
Does it really take until after the next test for results? That would be an utter disaster!
Next is general GRE... I am so worried about how boring that one is going to be just looking at the exercise test questions nearly makes me puke by how boring it is. The TOEFL test already was such a test of patience with the incredibly boring stories one had to listen to and actually answer questions to.